D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal #1: "Everything You Need To Know!"

Each day this week, Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a new live-streamed preview video based on the upcoming Player's Handbook. The first is entitled Everything You Need To Know and you can watch it live below (or, if you missed it, you should be able to watch it from the start afterwards). The video focuses on weapon mastery and character origins.

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There will be new videos on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, focusing on the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Barbarian, with (presumably) more in the coming weeks.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I was about to joke that that is ok, we have AI to generate those images now, but then they probably do not....

EDIT: decided to give it a try and got 'Your image generations are not displayed because we detected unsafe content in the images based on our content policy' when using 'chainmail bikini', once I removed 'chainmail' it was fine

Well, I have talked to people who have made and worn chainmail bikini's and the general consensus is that they are incredibly unsafe to wear, unless you are very very careful.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Chainmail bikinis are totally unsafe! Can you imagine the chafing???

Dang Ninjas!

 

[Staffan]

Fair enough. I still want that definition though.

The archetypal example is Warhammer 40K, which uses (used?) the slogan "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war." So, that. Everyone and everything is horrible, there's only slightly different shades of horrible.

A more in-depth explanation can be found here.

 

[Chaosmancer]

If a shot like that showed up, I would be offended. By the stupidity of the design. Who in their right mind wears armour like that? And don’t say it’s not a sexy woman thing. Can you imagine anyone putting a male warrior in crop top plate mail?

I just can’t take any argument seriously that is basically “why can’t we go back to the good old days, when the game pandered to men”.

I fully agree with your point, and would not want a bunch of over-the-top sexy women art in the game. It would just be eye-rolling to me.

That being said, in the spirit of being fair, I HAVE seen men in crop-top platemail. Usually Bishonen pretty boys with long sleek hair and dark leathers. It does happen. Is it right either way? Eh, my position on it is usually that as long as it isn't too extreme, I don't mind.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I guess we need to define what you mean by grimdark then. And it's on you, because none of us are using that clearly pejorative term.

The generally accepted definition of Grimdark is a world without hope, where everyone is terrible.

Warhammer 40K is the classic example, where the Human Empire is a horrific system of systemic abuse, zenophobia and corruption, bound by zealousness, where soldiers are sent to die by the millions so that their flesh can be harvested to make horrors, all to fight a war that is hopelessly lost because the enemy is impossible to destroy. There are no good guys, there is no hope, it is all endless violence and struggle for no purpose.

And, yeah, DnD has never been that. Because the entire point of the heroes is to be the hope.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Oh which?

Grimdark: A setting of black and grey morality, or relative morality being the order of the day. Evil has won, or Good is so oppressive as to be no different. Even success comes at a cost, and real change is impossible.

But the good guys fight on regardless, because it is right to do so.

How is that reflected in art? GW-esque?

 

[Micah Sweet]

The generally accepted definition of Grimdark is a world without hope, where everyone is terrible.

Warhammer 40K is the classic example, where the Human Empire is a horrific system of systemic abuse, zenophobia and corruption, bound by zealousness, where soldiers are sent to die by the millions so that their flesh can be harvested to make horrors, all to fight a war that is hopelessly lost because the enemy is impossible to destroy. There are no good guys, there is no hope, it is all endless violence and struggle for no purpose.

And, yeah, DnD has never been that. Because the entire point of the heroes is to be the hope.

D&D has not always been about heroes, and hope over despair, and you know it. Don't expect me not to call you out on that.

And again, how is this philosophy played out in visual art (the actual discussion point), and why is it wrong for D&D?

 

[Scribe]

How is that reflected in art? GW-esque?

Oh boy, a topic near and dear to my heart. I'll hook you up later.

 

[Remathilis]

D&D has not always been about heroes, and hope over despair, and you know it. Don't expect me not to call you out on that.

And again, how is this philosophy played out in visual art (the actual discussion point), and why is it wrong for D&D?

D&D has been telling that story since it was old enough to realize there was more to the game than reaching the next level of the dungeon. Every D&D setting, even Dark Sun and Ravenloft have pushed the PCs as heroes. It's THE reason half-orcs and assassins got the boot in 2e. Pretty much every adventure and supplement since the Hickman revolution assumed PCs as heroes.

I suggested that D&D's "warm fuzzy art" (which again, is part of the PC ORIGIN section) should not try to emulate the tone of Warhammer-esque Grimdark aesthetics with blood, dismemberment, ruined landscapes and titillation. It doesn't fit D&D's aesthetic. And this has been a complaint as least as old as Witchlight and Radiant Citadel (the idea that D&D art isn't catering to 14 year old boys, or those with similar tastes)

 

[Micah Sweet]

D&D has been telling that story since it was old enough to realize there was more to the game than reaching the next level of the dungeon. Every D&D setting, even Dark Sun and Ravenloft have pushed the PCs as heroes. It's THE reason half-orcs and assassins got the boot in 2e. Pretty much every adventure and supplement since the Hickman revolution assumed PCs as heroes.

I suggested that D&D's "warm fuzzy art" (which again, is part of the PC ORIGIN section) should not try to emulate the tone of Warhammer-esque Grimdark aesthetics with blood, dismemberment, ruined landscapes and titillation. It doesn't fit D&D's aesthetic. And this has been a complaint as least as old as Witchlight and Radiant Citadel (the idea that D&D art isn't catering to 14 year old boys, or those with similar tastes)

Your insulting tone aside, don't say "always" if you know that's not true. Say instead, "as far back as I care to look, with the occasional exception since then", a far more honest claim.